Event referral incentive program template: rules, rewards and disclosure

Write one offer that both sides can understand

Download the event referral program rule card (Markdown, English)

State the exact benefit to the referred attendee and, separately, the benefit to the sharer. Name the event, eligible ticket types, sale window, inventory limit and any cap. Decide whether the benefit is a price reduction, credit, merchandise or access perk; never imply that a ticket or seat is reserved until the checkout or registration confirms it.

Define a valid referral and reward trigger

Choose whether a unique link, code or documented manual referral identifies the sharer. Specify what counts: a new completed registration or paid order, rather than a click or abandoned checkout. Decide how duplicate accounts, self-referrals, group orders, refunds, chargebacks, transferred tickets and cancelled or postponed events affect eligibility. Assign a person to resolve disputed attribution, and show a clear cutoff for claims.

Plan fulfillment and keep a decision record

Write down who checks completed orders, when the benefit is issued, the delivery method, the support route and what happens if a reward cannot be delivered. Compare the maximum reward liability with available margin and ticket inventory before launch. Keep a restricted log of referral ID, qualified order reference, reward status and exception decision; avoid collecting a friend’s contact details merely to let an attendee share a link.

Make promotional relationships clear

If a person receives an incentive for recommending the event, make that connection clear in their own message, in the language of that message, wherever local rules require it. A hidden program terms page is not a substitute for a clear disclosure near an endorsement. US FTC guidance discusses material connections; UK ICO guidance warns that “refer a friend” electronic marketing can trigger direct-marketing rules. Get location-specific review before asking participants to upload friends’ contacts or sending invitations on their behalf.[1][2]

Preview the full path and monitor exceptions

Read the invitation, event page, code entry, order confirmation and reward notice as both sharer and referred attendee. Confirm that terms, limits and contact details agree across channels and languages. Watch valid referrals, disqualified or disputed orders, unfulfilled rewards and support complaints; change the offer with a dated notice rather than retroactively altering earned rewards.